If you don’t fill out your FAFSA application, you may lose out on financial aid and free money for college. Your completed FAFSA application will help make you eligible for federal financial aid programs. In addition, your state and college may use your FAFSA information to determine whether you’re eligible for additional college financing.

State FAFSA deadlines

Make sure you don’t miss financial aid deadlines. States and schools have different financial aid deadlines. To be on the safe side, you should fill out the FAFSA as soon as you can after January 1st of the year you plan to attend college, because some funds are awarded on a first-come, first-served basis.

College FAFSA deadlines

Check with the colleges you are applying to about their particular deadlines. Each college may have a different deadline for student financial aid. The earlier you apply for funds, the better.

College Planning Calculator

Every student and their family has their own unique path towards paying for college. Build your overall plan with the College Planning CalculatorSM, a free tool that helps calculate the expected cost of college and how you will successfully pay for it with savings, income, scholarships, grants, and loans.